Big Band Compositions

I started writing this steady funky tune whilst in Birmingham Airport…hence the title! This tune is designed to be a feature for Trombone and Alto Sax, and it has a catchy main tune, plenty of space for solos, followed by a band soli. After the Sax solo, the tune then takes a darker sounding twist, and the chart finishes with a trade between the Trombone and Alto soloists! Difficulty level: Intermediate.

Brand new for 2020! This piece, Double Espresso, is designed to wake up the audience!! A huge unison riff at the start over a rocky/funk groove will transform your concert from, well, a concert, into a party! Featuring two separate solo sections, there’s plenty of space for improvisation too. There’s also several key changes, keeping it groovy for both the band and audience, and some Tower of Power inspired horn writing towards the end! This is possibly my best Big Band chart yet – and will sound fab with any intermediate/advanced Big Band! Step aside Gordon Goodwin!!! So go on, have a Double Espresso!!

This is a funky tune based around a melodic riff in E Minor – great for guitar solos! The main melody is catchy, and the arrangement is fairly simple, with the main emphasis being on improvised solos (a big funky jam session really!!). This is a really fun tune, and a great one to open up and let the band enjoy themselves with! Difficulty level: Easy/Intermediate

A tune inspired by some of the great jazz fusion writing from the Paris Jazz Big Band, this piece was my attempt at something along those lines! It starts with an aggressive and fierce riff, with a tune that takes inspiration from some of Woody Shaw’s approach to melody! The piece then features a trade between a trumpet and tenor soloist, before moving onto a tricky chromatic soli, and then on into a phrygian rock out at the end, ideal for a guitar soloist with a lot of distortion! Difficulty level: Advanced.

Originally I wrote this tune to play with my first small jazz group, and this piece, as the name suggests, took influence from Some Skunk Funk! Whilst in fact it’s not a very similar piece to that, it is still a fun jazz rock/fusion piece! It features a fast melody, and a funky bridge section, followed by a tenor solo, and a trumpet solo. Difficulty level: Advanced.

This is a tune I originally wrote for a joint concert with my band and Trombonist Dennis Rollins.  To suit Dennis’ style of playing, the tune is a steady funk/hip-hop groove, and features scoops in the melody, which sound great on the Trombone.  There is an open solo section in the middle with plenty of ensemble writing to keep the band busy! Difficulty level: Intermediate.

This tune was originally inspired by Joe Satriani – a big influence on my earlier compositions (more his tunes than the amazingly fast guitar playing!). As a result there is an underlying quick rock groove, but with lots of jazz influence too in the melody and harmony. The melody starts in a major key but then develops to a minor variation, and the tune then takes more of a Latin twist. After an extended solo section, there’s a drum solo, followed by a big ending reprising the earlier major section of melody. Difficulty level: Advanced.

Featuring a New Orleansy groove, this tune features a funky melody, followed by a large modal solo section with a swing feel, and also a fun soli section to split up the soloists. I’m afraid I don’t have a live recording of this Big Band chart yet, but to get a flavour though, here is a sample of my small band playing it! Difficulty level: Intermediate.

This chart originally started off life as a tune in 5/4 for beginner students!! However, I enjoyed it so much I decided to develop it into a piece for Big Band, and rather more experienced players!!! It’s a reflective sounding piece with a melody and harmony that are inspired by some of Pat Metheny’s music. After the initial melody, there is an ensemble passage, followed by a trumpet solo. Towards the end of the chart the trumpet then trades solos with an Alto soloist too. Difficulty level: Intermediate.

Drum ‘n’ Bass meets Big Band. Led by Soprano Sax, this piece starts with a cool minimalistic texture build up intro, and then hits it with the Drum n Bass groove. To contrast the heavy hitting groove, there is a softer section, with some rich piano chords. The piece is featuring on the most recent Nick Dewhurst Band album, and would certainly give the audience something a bit different to listen to!